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The Buick Enclave fullsize crossover was one of the first vehicles that signaled the company’s renaissance into a manufacturer of “business-class” products. Although it shares a platform and powertrains with the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse, the Enclave sets itself apart as the luxury variant with unique interior and exterior styling, additional standard features, and Buick’s QuietTuning sound-deadening technology.

The result is a spacious fullsize SUV with a quiet, smooth freeway ride, something that’s vital for large families. The Enclave can comfortably seat eight, with the third row being habitable even by adults.

However, although it was refreshed for the 2013 model year, the Enclave’s basic design has been around since 2008, meaning it’s a bit behind the times in terms of powertrain refinement, efficiency, and available technology. Still, even without features like adaptive cruise control and pushbutton start, the Enclave sets itself apart as an excellent premium product for a family.

REVIEW

Subtle Changes to a Proven Formula

We don't often get the chance to test successive model year vehicles close to one another, but when we do, we gain an insightful look into the evolutionary changes on a model that's just undergone a refresh. The most recent example is the 2013 Buick Enclave, which we tested just a few weeks ago after testing the 2012 model. We praised the older crossover for its solidity, quietness, and roominess, but we also noted it was overdue for a freshening. Well, here it is.

On the outside, Buick has endowed the 2013 Enclave with some strategic nips and tucks to bring its styling more in sync with the rest of the lineup. The most noticeable changes on the outside of the Enclave are the new grille and headlights. While it's instantly recognizable as an Enclave, the new LED running lights and eyebrows give it a more upscale look. The vestigial venti-ports remain on the hood, but are moved from the edge of the "power dome" to the top. We're not generally fans of non-functional styling gingerbread, but as exterior jewelry goes, it's one of the less egregious examples.

A few exterior changes we do appreciate more are the discreet application of the Buick tri-shield logo to the C-pillar, and the subtle tri-shield logo within the taillight reflectors. The integrated exhaust outlets in the rear bumper also give the Enclave a more contemporary image, although looking a little further inward reveals a standard-issue, non-polished pipe, but this is no different from how most other manufacturers do integrated exhaust outlets.

Changes are bigger on the inside. Noticeable right away is a sweeping aquamarine accent light that stretches across the width of the dashboard and the top of the front and rear doors. Save for a few inches around the outer edges of the dashboard and the front of the doors, it forms a neat and continuous arc. The 2013 model also makes more judicious use of woodgrain trim, which is applied more liberally to the door panels but more sparingly on the dashboard.

The satin faux-metal of the 2012 has been permanently banished and we can't say we miss it. The center vent housing with the central analog clock returns, but with a more cohesive and elegant continuous chrome surround. The most appreciated changes, however, are to the climate controls. Last years' flat buttons are replaced with two knobs accented with brightly lit LED temperature readouts. They're immediately intuitive and a step forward in ergonomics and design.

As big an improvement as the interior changes on the 2013 model are, there are a few small let-downs. We noted with surprise that our well-equipped 2012 tester still had a conventional key at a $50,000 price point. The 2013, likewise, has a twist-it-yourself ignition. Speaking with the chief engineer for the Lambda platform vehicles at a recent event, it didn't sound like a push-button ignition was on the immediate horizon, but Buick is aware of the perception issues in a premium-priced vehicle, especially since many of the brand's more recently introduced models feature a push-button start. Finally, and this is getting into nit-picky territory, the shifter still has a sliding plastic cover instead of the more common gated or leather-shrouded shift boot on many upscale models.

Although mechanically nearly identical to our 2012 tester, the 2013 model was noticeably slower at the track, posting an 8.5-second 0-60-mph run -- a full second slower -- and was 0.8 second slower through the quarter mile. The fact that our 2013 test vehicle had fewer than 1000 miles on the odometer could have had something to do with it. From behind the wheel during normal driving, there was not a major perceptible difference in performance and acceleration between the two models.

We were able to take the 2013 Enclave down some canyon roads and drove it aggressively enough that several cars in front of us pulled off to let us past. Once we had an opening, we drove the Buick hard enough through the turns that a particularly persistent Volkswagen Jetta behind us maintained a respectable trailing distance, either astounded that such a large vehicle could handle so well or lacking the skill or confidence to push his own car that hard.

Whether by virtue of Buick's QuietTuning or our tester's grippy tires, we rarely heard any tire squeal. It may not be in the same league as the athletic Mazda CX-9, but the Enclave can hustle through the curves when asked.

Has the 2013 refresh fixed all the "problems" with the 2012? No, but as we noted in our review of that model, the Lambda platform is so fundamentally sound that even after five years on the market, the Enclave still stands as one of the best all-around examples of a premium three-row crossover that we can think of. Admittedly, the Lambdas are on the heavier side of the class, something even GM acknowledges in light of newer, lighter-weight competitors. And, as before, fuel economy could be a little better.

If you're considering something like the Lexus RX 350, but need the occasional seven-passenger capacity, or the new Infiniti JX35, but want something just a tad roomier, the Enclave is still a classy, comfortable choice that holds up well against newer competitors.

GM is entering the complimentary maintenance plan game with 2014 models. The automaker has announced that all eligible 2014 Chevrolet, 2014 GMC, and 2014 Buick vehicles will get two years or 24,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.

For the 2013 model year, the Buick Enclave is getting a price hike. The 2013 Enclave's starting price of $39,270 is about $2000 more than the price of last year's model but still below other premium seven-passenger SUVs like the Infiniti JX35 and Acura MDX.

2012 is the last model year for the Buick Enclave before the crossover receives a comprehensive refresh for that includes styling updates inside and out plus some new tech integration capability with the IntelliLink interface.

Starting for the 2013 model year, General Motors will offer its fullsize crossovers, the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia with center-front mounted airbags standard. All models equipped with power driver's seats will get the feature.

It’s been three years since the Buick Enclave’s release and the full-size crossover has successfully carved out its parking space in General Motors’ vast garage. In the face of sliding Lucerne sales, the CUV has bore the Buick badge well and proved its importance as part of Buick’s renovation and ef

General Motors issued a recall for 276,729 vehicles over potentially faulty shift mechanisms in vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. While shifting to park, the affected vehicles can remain in-gear at include the 2009 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse,GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook.

Tiger Woods, the championship-winning professional golfer and Buick spokesman for the past nine years, has officially announced his mutual sponsorship separation with General Motors effective the end of this year.

General Motors untangled some of its labor mess earlier today by reaching a tentative agreement with workers at the Delta Township assembly plant outside Lansing, Michigan, and prolonging bargaining at a stamping plant in Ontario, Ohio, thus avoid a strike at the plant, reports Automotive News.

Buick will expand its international reach following a four-year agreement signed today by General Motors and Shanghai GM to export up to 25,000 of the brand's hot-selling Enclave luxury crossover to China beginning in the second half of 2008.

In essence, this is the second L.A. show this year, the first being in January, right before the Detroit show where it used to languish. It's arguably the biggest in the events's long history dating back to 1907.